


Two's Company

by SenseiMac



Category: Trolls (2016), Trolls: The Beat Goes On (Cartoon)
Genre: Broppy - Freeform, F/M, first actual fic please be nice, i crave broppy content, this will mostly be awkward pining and fluff i think, will start off small but i might make longer stuff in the future if everybody likes it?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-16 10:00:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17547551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SenseiMac/pseuds/SenseiMac
Summary: The Spring Equinox is upon Troll Village. While it's really just another over-hyped, biannual party, Branch is determined to make something special out of the holiday occasion for once. However, it wouldn't be a holiday without the most over-zealous, sweetheart of a troll making Branch question his motives (and feelings).Fluffy and cute Poppy/Branch! Based off of Trolls/Trolls Holiday, but will also reference TBGO. Post-movie.





	Two's Company

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there!! I am not new to ao3 or this fandom, but I usually only draw and just started posting my stuff around, so I figured I'd also try my hand at writing! I haven't really written any fiction since highschool, but I am excited to try again! Please let me know if you guys like it and/or what you'd like to see in the future or other chapters!! Thanks sweet friends! ♥

Branch was panicking.

Okay, that might have been a pretty standard ‘Branch’ thing to do, but this panic was different. While most threats at _least_ sent him into fight-or-flight mode, he could neither fight nor fly away from the cause of this one, but rather silently stare like a swag-stag in headlights.

He wanted to run, so badly too. Not out of fear, but… embarrassment? Shock? He couldn’t really place it at this point, there was too much crashing down at once. He could feel his blood pounding in his ears, and that tight feeling in his chest threatened him to collapse right then and there. He didn’t understand how other trolls did this so regularly without going into cardiac arrest. For hair’s sake, he didn’t even _mean_ to do it in the first place!

And yet, she stood there, with that sweet little smile of hers, rocking on her heels in excitement and curiosity like nothing was wrong.

“Of course I’ll be your date, Branch!”

This was an absolute nightmare scenario. And the worst part was, he did it to himself.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

The day started off like any other. Alright, well, not like ANY other, considering the Spring Equinox was coming up in less than a week. While the most notable celebratory focus was on socks (why, Branch will never know, but he can appreciate the practicality of a good pair of socks,) the entire village was bustling with decorating pods, coordinating holiday activities, and most of all, gathering dates for the Spring Socktrot.

Now, Branch could understand the appeal of décor and whatnot—he wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he was quite fond of the bunches of flowers decorating the doorframes and windows of the pods, with many tiny tealight candles nestled (carefully) in the blooms. At night, the warmth from the candlelight gave the vibrant and gaudy village a softer, more romantic feel. And most of the activities were pretty fun, from what he gathered during the Fall Equinox, which was said to pretty much mirror the spring holiday. It was usually organized much like their usual shindigs. Typical greasy party foods, photobooths for those in-the-moment-shots, music, and even some prize games for those who were feeling lucky. It was actually a fairly low-key holiday, considering they were trolls, who threw a rager every chance they could get. The Equinoxes were a little more revered, a little more sacred. They represented give and take, unity, balance. Branch liked balance.

He did _not_ like, however, the main event. The Socktrot was just a troll’s way of excusing every safety standard known to exist by putting on the fluffiest socks, and entering a crowded, freshly waxed dancefloor with absolutely _no guardrails._ It’s not like trolls ever really regarded much safety in the first place, but this crossed the line for Branch. During his first Fall Equinox, he flat out refused to even set foot near the dancefloor, much less risk breaking all his bones and die right there the moment someone slipped and slammed into him full force. But of course, Poppy and company wouldn’t let him live it down afterwards, vigorously encouraging him to join in the spring, reminding him at least once a week for the past six months.

And here he was, three days before the equinox, at the center of town looking for a few subtle decorations for his bunker. Needless to say, he hadn’t been participating as much as he should have been, and while he was _definitely_ only going to pick out small, earthy-colored flowers (for maximum camouflage,) at least he was trying to be a little more in the holiday spirit. His friends had gotten to him, truthfully. While their qualms may have just been with his lack of sock-dancing, he’d be lying to himself if he said he didn’t take it more seriously than that. He’d also be lying if he said he didn’t want to impress a certain pink acquaintance of his.

Branch carefully made his way through the crowd of late shoppers to a quaint little booth with an array of flowers in all colors and sizes. The pale green troll manning the booth looked up from trimming the stems of some daisies and smiled warmly at Branch.

“Oh, hello Branch! Let me guess—more medicinals? I have your usual order right here-” he said, patting a bundle of dried herbs and flowers, and reaching for some paper to wrap them in.

“Actually Thorn,” Branch started, squinting over Thorn’s shoulders to peek at his selection of flowers. “I was wondering if you had any flowers I could use for the Equinox. Ones that aren’t as…” he struggled to find a nice enough word. “Flashy?”

Thorn chuckled a bit and set the paper down. “I believe I have just the thing.”

Branch watched as Thorn walked around behind his display and shuffled through some various pots and bags of fertilizer. He furrowed his brow, a little bit concerned that these flowers were not “show quality” if they’re coming from the back of the stand where all the trowels and such were haphazardly thrown. However, his expression softened when he saw the bunches Thorn brought back.

“I had a feeling you might come to me for decorations this spring, there must be something in the air.” Thorn said with a knowing smile and a wink. “I selected these just for you. I know how you are about your “survival” stuff. Will these suffice?” he asked.

The assortment of flowers were not as plain or as ugly as Branch might have suspected. Instead, they were full and soft, but in a gentle palette of creams, dusty pinks, and even some oranges. It reminded Branch a bit of the sunset, and with the long, glowing light that came with it, it would certainly blend in at his bunker while still looking festive. The olive-green sprays of greenery in the flowers also helped disperse the color a bit, making for a rather elegant selection of flowers.

“Wow Thorn, these are perfect. How did-“

“I know flowers, Branch,” he interrupted. “And when something starts to blossom, I see it clear as day.”

Branch gave Thorn a blank stare as he smirked. What was _that_ supposed to mean? Branch shook his head a bit and waved to Thorn as he walked back toward his bunker. Trolls were a weird species to begin with, it wasn’t worth questioning this, of all things.

He returned home and carefully decorated the surrounding area of his doormat entrance. It was fairly difficult making a beautiful, flower-decorated home while still being subtle, but Branch was happy with the display anyway. He placed some tiny electric candles (wouldn’t want to start a fire!) among the bunches and stood back to admire it. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm orange glow over the arrangement. Branch smiled to himself and appreciated the simple beauty of the scene, and promptly went inside to gather his things.

The Snack Pack was throwing a small sleepover that night, the “Prequinox Slumber Party Extravaganza” as it had come to be known, to celebrate the upcoming holiday and make plans and overall just have a relaxing time. Branch especially liked small get-togethers like these, since they only consisted of his close friends. And admittedly, he liked any excuse to hang out with Poppy.

It wasn’t like it was a secret that he and Poppy were super close. Heck, maybe he even liked her more than that. She showed him happiness, for crying out loud! If it wasn’t for her enthusiasm and patience, he wouldn’t be where he is now. He also liked that she never lulled him into a false sense of security, like many trolls have tried before. It’s not that they were trying to, but it’s one thing to be happy with the company of others who will validate you; it’s another thing to be happy with yourself and be content in one’s day-to-day life. And while he is now happy to be the practical, gentle, and cautious guy he is, he certainly doesn’t mind extra attention from the woman who saw all those qualities to begin with.

Branch mindlessly shoved essentials into his pack—toothbrush, comb, his journal, pajamas, Gary, etc. He momentarily mulled over what he might be forgetting, but ultimately figured it wouldn’t be a huge deal. The sleepover was at Poppy’s pod, and she usually had extras of pretty much everything, to Branch’s delight. Originally the party had been planned for Smidge’s place, until they thought about how they would fit nine people on the floor of her tiny pod. Being Queen has its perks, so Poppy offered to host with her royal-sized accommodations. No one objected.

Branch drew the strings on his bag and headed up to wait. The sun was just about fully set now, and a cool darkness washed over the village. Guy Diamond and Poppy were supposed to be heading back from the market with lots of slumber party snacks, and Branch was to meet up with them and they’d all walk to Poppy’s together.

Within minutes, he heard the familiar auto-tuned chatter of Guy, and their presence was confirmed by Poppy’s laugh. Right on time.

As the two approached, talking about hair knows what, both in succession noticed Branch’s bunker decorations, as well as the troll himself. Poppy quickly ran up to him with an expression that suggested she might burst from excitement.

“Oh my gosh, Branch! You decorated your bunker this time!” Poppy squealed, bouncing between him and the decorations themselves. “Oh, it all looks so beautiful!” Branch grinned sheepishly at her compliment.

“Needs more gli-i-i-tter!” Guy chimed.

“Yuck. No offense Guy, but I don’t think glitter will ever make it onto my “Acceptable Troll Quirks” list.” Branch chided.

“Oh c’mon Mr. Grumpy Pants,” Poppy said, rolling her eyes. “Give it time, you’ll learn to love it.”

“No.”

“You will. Don’t fight it.”

It was Branch’s turn to roll his eyes, amused by Poppy’s overbearing (and endearing) positivity. He watched Poppy admire the various bundles of flowers, and he couldn’t help but notice how her freckles sparkled from the candlelight, and how gentle and pretty she looked. She carefully held a bloom to her nose to smell its sweetness, and the delicacy of this simple act made Branch’s heart swell. What he did not notice, however, was Guy giving him a puzzled look.

“Branch! Hellooooooo?”

“Huh sorry I—what?”

Guy shook his head. “I _asked_ if you were going to the Socktrot this season,” he said, crossing his arms with a smirk. “You did decorate this time, after all. Hopefully you’ll join us for the main event!”

Branch grimaced and adjusted his bag over his shoulder. “You know, that dance has so many safety hazards, it’s a wonder Dr. Plum isn’t booked solid the entire week after.”

“Still,” Poppy said, returning from the flowers. “It would be great if you would come with us, Branch. It would be so fun!” she exclaimed as they began the walk towards Poppy’s pod. “We can talk more about it at the party, but the more the merrier!”

“Isn’t the Socktrot more like, a couple’s thing anyway? Everyone has a date.” Branch retorted flatly.

“Not everyone,” said Guy. “Lots of people go as friends in groups! A little weird when the slow songs come on, but other than that, just as fun!”

“Mhmm, as far as I know, none of us have been asked yet, so we’re thinking of going as one big group.” Poppy clenched her fists. “Oooh I’m so excited I could sing!!!”

“Please don’t.”

Poppy sang anyway for the rest of the walk, but Branch didn’t mind really. He was more surprised that Poppy didn’t have a date for the dance—she was fun, beautiful, the _Queen;_ it was hard to believe someone didn’t at least try already. Oh well, he might as well go anyway then. At least a group would create a safe barrier of living flesh if someone tried to slingshot into him. The three of them sang together happily, with Poppy often drowning out the other two. When they arrived at the pod, the others were already there, waiting just outside with their things, chatting in a small circle.

“Who’s ready to get. Their. Party on?!” Poppy shouted holding a box of cookies above her head triumphantly, announcing her presence. Her guests cheered, and they all filed inside and claimed a spot on the floor by throwing their stuff there.

Poppy jumped on her bed and tossed her pillow and quilt down on the floor too, along with a stuffed animal or three. Just because it was her home didn’t mean she wanted to miss out on the full slumber party experience, and that included sleeping on the floor with the rest of her friends. Branch was organizing his things around his area when he felt the _whoosh_ of air from a blanket landing next to him. He glanced over and noticed the garish pink fabric and realized Poppy chose a spot next to him. For whatever reason, he felt his face heat up and his heart did a weird _lub-DUB_ before it went back to its normal pace. Branch wasn’t an idiot, he knew the thought of Poppy sleeping next to him sent his brain into overdrive. Okay, maybe he had a bigger crush on her than he thought. So what? The last thing he was going to do was soil his newfound friendship with weird feelings he’s harbored for 15-something years. Still, it wasn’t like him to be so easily flustered. Maybe he was dehydrated or… something. He’d make sure to get a nice glass of water before turning in.

In the meantime, however, the party was just getting started. Immediately, Biggie, Cooper, Suki, and Smidge began playing a board game, popping open a brand-new bag of chips and shoving gummy worms into their mouths gleefully. The rest of the group just finished setting up their sleeping bags, and thus decided to just chit-chat until the others finished their game and they could all do something together. Guy, Satin, and Chenille were already talking, and Poppy was zipping around the pod making sure everyone was settled before she sat down herself.

Branch scooted over to the small circle, happy to start the party with something less intensive than sugar-loading during a board game. Satin and Chenille were going on about how they might be able to make clothes for glitter trolls that wouldn’t itch so terribly, but Guy didn’t seem to be too impressed. Poppy plopped down in the circle nearest her bed and leaned against the frame with her hands at her sides. “What are we talking about?”

Guy sighed. “An invention that will unfortunately never hit the market,” The twins, irritated, folded their arms. “What? There’s nothing wrong with being comfortable in your own skin. Clothing would only slow me down.” he said dramatically, raising his wrist to his forehead.

Poppy giggled at her friends’ antics. She suddenly sat up straight and gasped. “You guys! We should watch a movie. I’ll go make some popcorn, you guys pick something out!” And after being seated for two minutes, she sprung back up again, and trotted over to the kitchen.

While Branch was trying to process everything that happened in the last 30 seconds, Guy shot a smirk toward the twins, who mirrored his expression back. Confused, Branch opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Guy.

“You need to ask her.”

“What? Ask who what?”

“Poppy. You need to ask her to the Socktrot.” Chenille chimed.

“I-I thought you two said we were going as a group.”

“Oh Branch,” Guy scoffed, “No girl wants to show up without a date to Socktrot. It’s one of the most romantic holidays of the season.” Branch rolled his eyes at this; there are a number of love and affection-based holidays year-round, though a bit gaudy for his tastes. “She just doesn’t know she wants a date.”

“How can she _not know?_ ”

“Simple,” answered Satin. “She casts her own priorities to the wayside in order to care for her friends. In doing this, she is not left alone to wonder if she wants a date to sweep her off her feet, link her arm with as they walk around the village, buy her sweet treats, and… get her some fucking incredible socks.” she said matter-of-factly.

Branch blinked. “S-so, what am I supposed to do about that? Why don’t one of you ask her?”

“We’re not the ones who have it _bad_!”

“I don’t have it bad! I, uh, don’t even know what _it_ is!” He felt his face getting hot again.

“Ugh, just get in there already. Hurry, popcorn doesn’t take that long to make.” Guy picked Branch up under his arms and pushed him gently but assertively toward the kitchen, and before Branch knew what was happening, he was walking toward the door. The twins and Guy looked on as he made his way, and thankfully the board game group hadn’t noticed the interaction.

_Okay, this is fine. This is dumb, honestly. Guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I’ll just tell her what they said and how silly it was, and we’ll have a laugh over it and everything will be normal. This is my best friend we’re talking about, she’d get a total kick out of this._

But what if he _should_ ask her?

No, that’s dumb. He’d already told himself once, he wasn’t ready to spoil something so precious to him just because his feelings got the better of him. Maybe… maybe someday. Who knows? He went 15 years without saying anything, what’s another 15? Yeah. Yeah, this was good, he would just tell her the funny circumstance and then help her carry the popcorn back out.

He peeked through the doorway and saw a familiar blue dress swish around as Poppy danced quietly in front of the microwave, humming to herself. _Gosh she’s cute,_ Branch thought. He was allowed to indulge himself in his own thoughts, but publicly was another thing entirely.

He stood watching for a moment until he figured it might be a little awkward to stare at someone dancing to a microwave for so long. He cleared his throat a bit. “Hey Poppy,”

“Branch!” Poppy spun around to face him with a bright smile. “Do you need something? A drink, a snack? The popcorn is almost ready, don’t worry.”

“Hah, no I’m alright.” he smiled. “Just came to help. Oh, and you’ll never believe what Guy and the twins are—” he stopped suddenly, feeling the metaphorical frog creep up his throat. Normally he’d be able to compose himself around her, but in the context of the evening, it was hard to keep up the same act he usually did. Fantasies of her arm linked in his, buying her sweets and dancing with _her_ …

“Guy and the twins are… what?” Branch blinked hard and opened his eyes to see Poppy looking at him with a concerned expression.

“Oh, uh,” he rubbed his neck, and couldn’t stop himself as he began to ramble. “Nothing. Just, I know you don’t have a date to the dance yet, and Guy was being crazy, haha, like I should ask YOU to go with ME, and while I wouldn’t mind, I wouldn’t want to make it too weird. I mean, we’re friends, right? The group is a better idea anyway, the more the merrier like you said. And overall it was just a funny situation that I wanted to share, y’know? Yeah, so, long story short, me asking you to the dance is crazy! Wild even, haha." And before he could stop himself, the next word slipped past his lips. "Unless…”

Poppy raised an eyebrow, a small smile creeping up her face. “Unless...?”

“…Unless you want to go with me.”

Oh no. That did it. Oh man, that… that completely backfired. Why did he say that?! After everything he told himself NOT to do, this was the outcome. She would know, she would find out, one way or another. What if she didn’t reciprocate? He would lose his best friend in a single night. No, Poppy is too good to simply abandon him like that. They’d always be friends, but he couldn’t face her the same way after something like that. He had to figure out an escape, some sort of way to back out of this.

Branch was panicking. And then she said yes.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write Branch a little differently from how he is usually portrayed. He's really not super angry anymore, he's still the same guy but with a softer heart, I think. That can do wonders to a person!
> 
> I don't know how many more chapters of this I need, but I hope to finish it for sure!  
> I dont have much to plug but my tumblr is senseimac, and my twitter is novapinkdrago. Thanks for reading! ♥


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